Kashgar – An Oasis City on the Ancient Silk Road

The land Silk Road is one of the oldest and most historically important trade routes in the world, and serves to remind us of the memory of bustling exchange and business among China and other boundaries. For centuries, the Silk Road was the thread that linked the East and West. At the western end of China Silk Road, Kashgar has been the stopping-off point for travelers for at least 2,000 years. As a China Muslim center, Kashgar is endowed by nature with desert, glacier and mountains. Id Kah Mosque, Kashgar Sunday Bazaar and Abakh Khoia Tomb are typical scenic spots in Kashgar. If you have more time, you can explore Karakuri Lake outside Kashgar, which is an unspoiled natural paradise with breath-taking natural scenery. Kashgar Sunday Bazaar People have a saying "Without visiting Sunday Bazaar, one cannot say he has visited Kashgar". Kashgar Sunday market operates seven days a week. Bazaars are the focus of activity nearly every day. Streets are alive with tall, blue-eyed old men in embroidered caps. Women have headscarves and sequined red dresses and food is everywhere – shish kebab grilling, bread baking in large clay ovens, watermelon sliced and sold off carts. Here tourists can see the handicrafts actually being made in the workshops. At the shoes and caps market, the caps and boots on sale are made on the spot. Farmers from the suburbs of Kashgar come to the bazaar early in the morning, using various means of transportation, such as bicycles, motorcycles, tractors, trucks and donkey-drawn carts. The highways leading to Kashgar are crowded with those vehicles, pedestrians on Sunday mornings and as well as with flocks of sheep. When you wander along Kashgar Sunday Bazaar, it seems you have traveled back in time. Karakuri Lake Karakuri Lake is situated at the foot of an ice mountain east of Pamirs and lies 191 kilometers from Kashgar. The altitude of this lake is 3,600 meters, with a depth of 30 meters. The lake is surrounded by a series of mountains, and covered by white snow almost all year round. Known as the father of glaciers, Karakuri Lake is an unspoiled place like Shangri-La with its breathtaking natural scenery. There is grassland near the lake and the grasses grow luxuriantly. Shepherds from Kazak and Kerkuzi often station here to herd sheep and castles. There are also yurts and wooden houses, service center near the lake which can offer help for mountaineers. The best time to come here is spring, summer and autumn. The Karakuri Lake is called an ideal place for mountain-seeing and tour. Recommended Kashgar Tours: Day 1: Upon your arrival at Kashgar, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. Day 2: Today, you will enjoy a tour in this old area including the largest mosque in China-the Id Kah mosque, the Abakh Khoia Tomb ( Tomb of Xiangfei) which is the most magnificent and well-preserved Islamic architectural complex in Xingjiang, and as well as the Kashgar Sunday Bazaar. Day 3: Start in the early morning to drive 4 hours to the Karakuli Lake. It is an unspoiled natural paradise with breath-taking natural scenery. A leisurely walk along the lake is also refreshing and pleasant. After that you will back to Kashgar city. Day 4: Departure from Kashgar to your next destination. Kashgar – An Oasis City on the Ancient Silk Road is a post from: Traveling China from Traveling China http://www.chinaya.org

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